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MAIL: Rt. 1, Box 218-3, High View, W.Va. 26808. THIS THEREVADAN BUDDHIST forest monastery and retreat center lies on about 75 wooded acres near Wardensville, W.Va., in Hampshire County (one-half-hour from Winchester, Va.; and five-and-a-half hours from Charleston, W.Va.). It features several dozen kutis or cottages surrounding a large and striking wooden meditation hall painted burnt orange (just like the monks' robes). Formal retreats are offered year-round; individual retreats available most other times. Lodging in the main hall and in kutis and dorms. Carefully note the retreat schedule below -- in 1999, Bhavana has added a host of special theme retreats among its normal lineup of 2 to 10-day retreats, including one for beginning medit FORMAL RETREATS include several sessions daily of hour-long sitting and walking insight meditation; vegetarian breakfast and lunch (no meals after lunch, unless for medical or personal reasons ). They also include interviews with monks; meditation instruction and teachings on Buddhist Dhamma by Eastern and Western monks and nuns. Register well in advance as this center continues to grow in popularity. Private retreats and longer stays in exchange for work are also possible. Private retreats with some personal instruction for beginning meditators can be arranged by calling well in advance and arranging the details. THE CENTER WAS FOUNDED in 1989 by internationally known Sri Lankan-born monk Ven. Henepola Gunaratana, Nyaka Thera, author of the Buddhist best-seller "Mindfulness in Plain English" (Wisdom Publishing), a fine introductory guide to insight meditation. Bhavana is an excellent place for people interested in an introduction to Buddhist meditation. Beginning meditators may want to go during off-retreat times to ease into longer sitting sessions. But formal retreat or not the monks are excellent at offering guidance and dhamma instruction to both beginning and advanced meditators. Retreats are offered free in the traditional spirit of Buddhist teachings, but since the monastery survives entirely on dana or donations, consider helping the place out so it can keep doing what it's doing. RETREAT SCHEDULE CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE YEAR 2,000 RETREAT SCHEDULE AT THE BHAVANA SOCIETY:
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ators, one soley for women (all other retreats are for both men and women), a youth retreat and a family work retreat.